Being Mortal Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Hospice Care and our BookBrowse Review of Being Mortal.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

The recipient of numerous awards and widespread acclaim, Atul Gawande's Being Mortal has secured a position among the bestselling medical books of all time. In the years since it was first published, Being Mortal has become a cultural touchstone that has profoundly altered the way we think about end of life care. From those confronting their own mortality or that of a loved one to medical professionals guiding patients through their final days, readers of all backgrounds have connected with Gawande's insights on death and dignity.

Being Mortal has been lauded as an invaluable tool by doctors, nurses, nursing home directors, hospice care workers, and funeral home directors. Academics and clergy have incorporated it into their lectures and sermons. Entire communities have read it together as part of One City Reads programs. It is a book that sparks conversation and leads to thoughtful reflection. It is, quite simply, a book for everyone.

"It is a celebration of life that challenges readers to respect human dignity...encourages open discussion about important matters faced by every family for which medicine can ultimately provide no answer." — UNC Chapel Hill (First Year Adoption Program)

"The book is applicable to everyone, everywhere. It has heart and invites us to love our lives and those we care about." — Laurie W. and her book group from Fredonia, NY

"This book is not just about dying, but on how to respect the individual needs of the elderly and ill who may not have the same priorities as the person in charge of their care." — Susan K. and her book group (Tuscany Book Club) from Myrtle Beach, SC

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. Have you ever lost someone you care about to serious illness? What is the best way to empathize and comfort those facing serious, life-threatening illness? How prepared do you feel to do and say the right thing when that time comes for someone in your life?
2. What do you think Dr. Gawande means when he says that we've "medicalized" mortality? Do you agree? Why do you think that has happened in our culture? How can we shift to a more humane, compassionate approach to mortality?
3. Have you ever seen anyone die or been with someone in the final stages of life? Can you describe that experience? How did the experience affect your wishes for the end of your own life?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Picador. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.